Leicestershire Foxes (women) vs Worcestershire Rapids (women) (match 13-L2 – double-header fixture) at Leicester (Uptonsteel County Ground) on Sunday 15 June 2025
Foxes women successfully chased down Rapids women’s par score, before their home crowd with two overs to spare. Foxes opener Francesca Sweet [67*not out (from 53 balls)] scored her season’s best ‘fifty’ with two ‘sixes’ and carried her bat undefeated. Partnered by debutante Scarlett Hughes [37runs (from 36 balls)] the pair added 64 runs for Foxes second wicket. The match reached a fitting conclusion during the penultimate over when Lucy Weston was bowled an extra ‘wide’ that won the match. Earlier when bowling, Lucy Weston took a 4-fer (four wickets/conceding 20 runs) that included three ‘stumpings’ by Scotland’s reserve keeper Ellen Watson. Return match takes place at ‘Visit New Road Worcester on 13 July. Commentator was Sam Martin (BBC Sport.)
Rapids women wearing light blue front/mid-hooped back uppers, over lower black; *skipper Clare Boycott [Ellen Watson keeping wicket for Foxes] Amy Wheeler (Blaze Academy 2024); *After 6 overs power-play 35/0; *Mis-timing a ‘reverse sweep,’ left-hander Gwen Davies, went plumb ‘leg-before’ to Francesca Sweet; *Mis-timing a ‘prod’ Bryony Gillgrass went ‘leg-before’ to spinner April Herathge;*By ‘mid-way’ (10 overs) 53/2; *Ruby Davis was stumped by Ellen Watson, from Lucy Weston; *Next ball (new over) Clare Boycott was caught at ‘square’ by Emma Thatcher, from D’Nica Roff; *Poppy Davies was stumped by Ellen Watson, from Lucy Weston; *Three balls later Amy Wheeler was caught at ‘mid-wicket’ by Lara Crofts, from Lucy Weston; *Liv Gough was stumped by Ellen Watson, from Lucy Weston; Chloe Hill was *not out; Rapids women batting: Poppy Davies20(19), Gwen Davies20(22), Chloe Hill 19*not out(20), Clare Boycott17(29), Bryony Gillgrass12(9); Foxes women bowling: Lucy Weston 4/20, D’Nica Roff 1/14, Francesca Sweet 1/18, April Herathge 1/24;
Foxes women wearing red-with-green-splash *skipper Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker; *[Liv Gough keeping wicket for Rapids] debutante Scarlett Hughes (Blaze loan) with Ellen Watson (Scotland international); D’Nica Roff (Blaze Academy loan, Rep of South Africa) Flora Davies (Blaze Academy 2024); *Rebecca ‘Becki’ Brooker went for a third-ball ‘duck’ from Phoebe Brett; *After 6 overs power-play 37/1 (vs 35/0); *Mid-way (10ov) 59/1 (vs 53/2);*Four balls later, left-handed Scarlett Hughes mis-timed a ‘sweep,’ and was stumped by Liv Gough from left-armed spinner Flora Bertwistle; *Ellen Watson was stumped by Liv Gough from Flora Bertwistle coming round-the-wicket; Francesca Sweet carried her bat; Foxes women batting: Francesca Sweet 67*not out(53), Scarlett Hughes 37(36); Rapids women bowling: Flora Bertwistle 2/17, Phoebe Brett 1/25;
Match result: Leicestershire Foxes (women) 121/3 (@6.6 runs-per-over, 18.1/20 overs, target 121 from 20/20 ov.) beat Worcestershire Rapids (women) 120/7 (@6.0 runs-per-over from 20 overs) by seven wickets with 11 balls remaining
*Scorecard with video highlights, courtesy of ECB via nv play at url: https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#m63b7d207-9781-41c3-b2de-209286c8795c
*BBC Sport @url: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/e-225360 & SKY @url: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/leicestershire-foxes-women-v-worcestershire-rapids-women/scorecard/80eb75d9-87f1-5741-8610-ac4c1d17e757
*Full match free-to-air, courtesy of Foxes TV (nv play) [06h47m06s] via YouTube @url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjWYweWOVRA
*Upcoming League one fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/06/22/vitality-blast-league-one-fixtures-and-results-to-june-2025/
*Upcoming League two fixtures @url http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2025/07/02/vitality-cup-league-two-fixtures-for-season-2025-2/
